Do you write Yelp reviews?
I am not a believer in reviews.
I think that most people who write reviews have an agenda. Maybe it’s their own product. Maybe it’s a product of their best friend. Maybe its a product of their nemesis. Maybe someone is just a troll.
However you look at it, I take reviews with a grain of salt.
I also don’t believe 5 star or 1 star reviews. I think that nothing is so good to rate it perfect. I think that nothing is so bad to rate it 1.
Mainly…
I wrote my first ever Yelp review a few months ago. I had to open an account and everything.
What was the review about?
OK- here’s the story.
I was looking for a groomer so that my puppies nails could get trimmed. She wasn’t ready for a full groom, but I wanted to get her used to having her nails done, and she has black nails, so I didn’t want to try it myself the first time. I wanted a professional.
I have been trying to support small, local businesses this pandemic season, so I searched for groomers in my neighborhood (as opposed to the big name place I used to take my other dog)
I found one close by that said it did drop in nail trims.
Great.
Betty and I walked past it one day to check it out, and sure enough there was an “OPEN” sign in the window, as well as a sign that said “WALK IN NAIL TRIMS”. Right there in the window.
Perfect.
Betty and I didn’t go that day- we were just doing our research.
The next week Betty and I returned- this time armed with vaccination requirements and an excitement for a doggie manicure. The same OPEN and NAIL TRIM signs still prominently displayed.
I go to open the OPEN door. Locked.
I see a bell. I ring the bell.
Five minutes later very grumpy person comes out. Rudely yells at me. Screams that they don’t do walk in nail trims. I point to the sign. She slurs something at me.
Seriously.
You think I’m going to leave my dog with you ever?
So I went home and joined Yelp and wrote a review.
One star.
Which I don’t believe in on principle, but the rudeness…
Next day, the owner wrote a nasty reply to me.
I explained why I thought there was a problem and why I wrote the review.
Owner then tried to butter me up. Said all sorts of nice things. Asked me to change my review.
I explained some stuff, and I was not being nasty. I was just calling it as I saw it…
Then the vitriol. The nastiness she spew at me. Telling me about all the dogs and owners that love her and her services. How I was so wrong…
I didn’t reply. I don’t take to being nice to me because you want something. I don’t play to scare tactics.
I do know that I would never leave my dog with this person…
So here’s the thoughts for today:
Do you write reviews?
Do you believe reviews or do you take them with a grain of salt?
Was I justified in reviewing the person as I did?
Do you think I’ll ever write another Yelp review?
Are you annoyed that I used “grain of salt” twice in this post?